This entry is part 2 of 5 in the Flash Fiction: The Archer
Written in 67 minutes.
Friday, October 13, 2000
Kelly’s: Dining Room
The dinner rush was at its height when Lucky yanked opened the door, the bells jangling awkwardly from the force. Nearly every table in the main dining room and in the courtyard was filled. Elizabeth and the other waitress, Penny Ramirez, were weaving in and around tables, lifting trays high over the heads of their customers, passing out meals and drinks. Every seat was taken, including the row of stools at the counter.
“Hey,” Elizabeth said as he passed her. “If you’re here for dinner, give DJ your order in the kitchen. I’ll try to come back when I have a second.”
He made a face — after the scene with his father, all he really wanted to do was run it by Elizabeth, try to understand what was going on in his head, but of course — she was busy. She was always busy.
Lucky scowled when a customer shoved back his chair and jostled him. “Hey, what what you’re doing.”
“Sorry, sorry—”
But Lucky was already in the kitchen, snagging a menu on his way. “Hey, DJ. How long for a BLT?” he wanted to know.
The harried line cook tossed another set of orders in the window, then slid an order pad down counter to Lucky. “Fill it out, put it on the board. I’ll get it when I get it.”
By the time the tables began to thin out, and Elizabeth came back to the kitchen, Lucky had already eaten and started to empty the tubes of dishes into the dishwasher. She appeared in the archway between the dining room and the kitchen, tendrils of sweat sliding down her cheeks, and errant curls slicked against her cheeks where they’d escaped the pins she’d used to keep the short strands out of her hair.
“I am never going to no show for another shift again,” she said, rolling her shoulders.
Lucky grunted, slapped the machine shut. “You should tell Bobbie. Tammy shouldn’t be doing that to you. You want me to say something?”
“What? No.” Elizabeth crossed to the small line of lockers and tugged out the notebook she usually kept for sketching, then hopped onto the counter next the dishwasher. “DJ, you should take your break now. There’s no orders on the board. I’ll come get you if we need you back sooner.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice. Thanks, Lizzie.” The cook headed for the doorway the alley, one hand already tugging a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket.
“Hey, you had to get a passport, right?” Elizabeth said, folding a page back. “When you went to see your mom in Switzerland, right? Or was it London?”
“When she was away with my grandmother? Switzerland. Yeah, why?” Lucky furrowed his brow. “Do you need a passport? What for?”
Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled. “Chloe Morgan offered me a temporary job while her assistant is on maternity leave. She said she’s going to be traveling a lot next year, and I’ll need to get mine as possible, but I haven’t had a chance to look it up. Do you remember what you needed for yours?”
“You’re going to travel? Where?” Lucky shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans, his chest feel tight. “For how long?”
Oblivious, Elizabeth shrugged. “Chloe and I are going to work out an official start date, but I’m going to be shadowing her assistant whenever I’m not here to train, and then she said London in January, and we’ll probably be there a few weeks. And then Rome and Paris, and oh, there were a few more places—”
“So you’ll basically be gone the entire time.”
Elizabeth closed her mouth, frowned at him. “What?”
“Weeks here, weeks there. You’ll be gone more than you’ll be here. That’s what I’m hearing.”
“I—” She bit her lip, looked back at her notebook. “I guess so. I don’t know that part yet—”
“You don’t know, but you already agreed to do it. Without talking to me about it?”
“I didn’t—” She slid off the counter, then leaned against it, clutching her notebook to her chest. “I didn’t think about it.”
“Oh, so you don’t think about me. How your decisions affect me. That’s really great.” Lucky shook his head, turned away. “Good to know.”
“Lucky—” She started to follow him as he headed for the stairs. “Let’s talk about it. It could be such a great opportunity for me—”
“You don’t even like clothes,” Lucky said, whirling back at her. “You never talk about fashion or any of that.”
“I—” Her eyes widened. “I used to. I used to read all those magazines. But it would be traveling and seeing all these amazing places. It could be so inspirational—”
“For you. What about me? How can you be so selfish? I just got my life back. I just got me back,” Lucky continued, pressing a hand against his chest, his voice cracking slightly. “We lost so much time, Elizabeth. But maybe you liked it better when I was gone and you could go and do whatever you wanted without thinking about anyone else.”
“What? No. No.” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “You’re right. I’ll talk to Chloe. I’ll find out how much and travel is really involved, and if it’s not too much—y-you’re right. I should be here with you. We did lose so much, and—” Her smile wobbled slightly, and he looked away. “Maybe I don’t need to go with her or something.”
“Do whatever you want. You will anyway.”
She started to say something else, but the bell over the door jingled, and she looked towards the entrance. When she looked back, Lucky had gone upstairs. A moment later, his door slammed.
Elizabeth looked down at her notebook where she’d been making notes about everything she’d need — luggage, passport, identification, to upgrade her work wardrobe—
She hadn’t even thought about all the time she’d be away, all the time she’d be away from Lucky. It hadn’t even occurred to her. What kind of person did that make her?
Corinthos Penthouse: Living Room
Sonny’s mood hadn’t really improved by the time he’d returned home that night, and his mood wasn’t entirely improved by seeing Carly on the sofa, talking animatedly to Jason. The three of them had rarely been in the same room alone much in the last year, and Sonny preferred it that way.
“Oh. Hey.” Carly got to her feet, standing awkwardly. “Um, Jason was here to see Michael. I had some Halloween costumes—” She flicked her eyes at their friend who also got to his feet. “It’s, um, good news that he’s sticking around a little longer, right?”
“Yeah. Of course.” Sonny paused. “You mind giving us a few minutes to talk? Maybe go upstairs to hang out with Michael?”
“Is it about the case? I thought it was all handled—” Carly began, but Jason sent her a look and Sonny tried not flinch when Carly stopped protesting and headed for the stairs. Why would she listen to Jason and not him?
“Everything okay?” Jason asked, coming towards Sonny who was lifting the decanter of bourbon and tilting to pour the dark liquid into the crystal tumbler.
“Depends on the definition.” Sonny lifted the glass to his mouth. “Why are you really hanging around?”
Jason squinted, tilting his head slightly. “You asked me to. Zander Smith could still make some trouble for my sister. Right now, he’s cooperating against Sorel, but if that goes south, he knows Emily and Elizabeth were involved that cop’s death.”
“Not a lot of evidence to support that, and Emily’s got connections to keep her good. You really don’t have to stay.” Sonny lifted his brows. “Unless you want to be here.”
Jason tensed. “Are you accusing me of something?”
“No. No, damn it.” Sonny huffed. “No, I’m sorry. I’m just—I had an uncomfortable conversation with Luke down at the club today, and then I come here—and you’ve done nothing wrong, but it doesn’t—” He shook his head, set down the bourbon to rub one side of his face. “I just can’t let myself get comfortable.” He looked back at Jason. “And Luke reminded me another reason you left town last January.”
“What was that?”
“Sorel was targeting Elizabeth.”
Jason tensed, looked away. “You said that was done—”
“Because you left. She’s not worth much to him without you around. I mean, I don’t want her hurt on principle, so maybe he could have still played some games. But it’s different and you know it. You stick around, maybe all of that starts up again. And the rumors start again.” Jason opened his mouth, and Sonny held up a finger. “Let me finish. You and I know why you were in that studio. And so do important people. But not everyone believed it. And the statute of limitations on Moreno isn’t done. Elizabeth could still be dragged into a police investigation. People could still make trouble.” He hesitated. “And things are different now, aren’t they? Lucky’s home. And they’re back together.”
“I don’t understand what any of that has to do with me staying or going,” Jason said flatly. “The people who need to know what last December was about know. And if Sorel comes near Elizabeth, I’ll finish what I started that day on the docks.”
“And Lucky?”
“What about him? He was kidnapped and brainwashed, at least that what Elizabeth tells me. That’s over. She’s got him back. Do you want me to go, Sonny? Is that what this is about?” Jason demanded.
“No, it’s—” Sonny sighed. “I don’t know what it’s about. I feel…itchy. Restless. Like we got off easy with Smith getting captured and turning against Sorel. I’m waiting for the second shoe to drop. For something to go wrong. For Carly to find another way to put someone in cuffs. And I’m taking it out on you, I’m sorry.”
“Sorel is the reason I’m sticking around.” Jason picked up his jacket from where he’d left it over the sofa. “Elizabeth and I are friends, and I want her to be happy. She says Lucky makes her happy. Nothing else really matters, does it?”
Kelly’s: Dining Room
Emily played with her straw, watching the vanilla milkshake swirl around the plastic tube, waiting for Elizabeth to finish clearing another table. “I got an email from Juan. He said he was sorry for this summer.”
Elizabeth lugged the full tub into the kitchen then returned to the table. “Well, sorry doesn’t change the way he drooled over Alison Barrington. If he could keep it in his pants, this entire stupid summer doesn’t happen.” She started to count out her receipts. “Don’t let him apologize his way into taking him back.”
“I won’t. Besides, he’s on tour with Lois now, so he’s done with Port Charles. Whatever.” Emily pursed her lips. “What’s wrong?”
Elizabeth flicked a glance at her, then back to her receipts. “What? Nothing.”
“No, I know that look. You don’t seem tired, you seem mopey. What’s up? C’mon, you spent all summer cleaning up my problems and listening to me complain about Juan. Let me do it for you.”
Elizabeth bit her lip, then nodded. “Okay. Well, Chloe offered me a temporary job and I’d have to travel a lot this spring. I’d basically be gone more than I’d be here.”
“Oh, my God, that’s so awesome! Chloe couldn’t have picked anyone better—” Emily stopped, frowned. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t we happy? Why aren’t we shopping?”
“I was really excited, but Lucky—I can’t leave him here while I go traveling,” Elizabeth said with a wrinkle of her nose. “He’s been through such hell in the last year, Em. Being kidnapped, brainwashed, dumped back in Port Charles, and fighting his way back to us. To me. And now that I finally got him back, I’m going to abandon him for six months?”
Emily opened her mouth, then closed it, pressing her lips into grimace. Everything inside her screamed that Elizabeth turning down this opportunity would be a major mistake, but Lucky had been gone for so long, and they’d only just figured out what was wrong with him. “I guess that…I mean it’s one way of looking at it. Not a fun way,” she added and Elizabeth smiled weakly. “But that’s part of being in a relationship right. Giving up things for each other. Maybe…I don’t know, maybe he’ll feel better about it when he’s got a chance to think about it. He’s been through so much, Liz. We just have to give him time.”
“Time.” Elizabeth sighed. “Right. Time and patience. What else is new.” She went back in the kitchen, and Emily stared down at her milkshake, her stomach swirling uncomfortably, knowing she’d probably pushed Elizabeth even further from taking the opportunity.
Jake’s: Bar
When he wanted to forget about something, it was usually pretty easy. He just…didn’t think about it. But it had been harder and harder to do that in the last few years, especially being back in Port Charles and seeing every mistake he’d made around every corner.
Jason pushed his way through the bar’s entrance, intending to have a few beers, play a few games of pool and forget about that stupid conversation with Sonny entirely.
He didn’t care that Lucky and Elizabeth were back together. Why would he? So what if the kid had been an asshole to him nearly ever time they’d seen one another?
But his plan to put the annoying Spencer out of his head failed immediately when he recognized the familiar blond sitting at the bar, a bottle in his hands. Jason grimaced, and nearly headed right for the stairs to his room.
But Jason didn’t run from anyone. And he had no reason to avoid Lucky Spencer.
“Usual,” he told the curly haired bartender, taking a stool a few down from Lucky.
“You got it, kid.” Jake uncapped the familiar green bottle, set it on the bar in front of him. “Good to hear you need the room a little longer. I like the steady tenants. Especially the ones that pay on time.” With that remark, she flicked an irritating look down the bar at Lucky who tensed.
“I told you, Jake. I’m good for it. You know that. I just have to find another job. You hiring?”
“You? Absolutely not.” Jake huffed, and left to talk to another customer.
“I’m not a deadbeat,” Lucky muttered. He glared at Jason. “And don’t you tell Elizabeth about this.”
Jason lifted his brows. “Excuse me?”
“I know you’re dying for another way to make me look bad, to be her hero,” Lucky sneered, “but she doesn’t need you anymore, okay?”
Jason sighed, slid off his stool, his beer in hand. Time to go upstairs.
“Why are you even here?” Lucky demanded. “You were supposed to leave!”
Jason heard a stool scrape back, and looked back to see Lucky getting to his feet, swaying slightly. How much had he already had to drink, Jason wondered. “Look—”
“She said she needed you because I was gone, but I’m back now. So she doesn’t need you anymore.” Lucky lifted his chin. “You leave her alone.”
He meant to walk away. To ignore this idiot looking for a fight. But there was something about Lucky’s stance — the way he was talking about Elizabeth — the way Sonny had talked about her— and the way she’d seemed so happy to find out he was staying —
Jason took one long swig of his beer, set it on the bar. “Why don’t you let Elizabeth decide what she wants?”
He saw the fist coming towards him, and let it land even though he could avoided it. He wanted to hit something. He’d deal with the consequences later.
